Jawbone UP Series Gets Auto Sleep Tracking, UP2 Gets Makeover

Some important changes are on the way for the Jawbone UP line of fitness trackers. The company's latest firmware update from enables automatic sleep detection on the Jawbone UP2, UP3 and UP4 and passive heart rate tracking on your UP3 and UP4. A new redesign of the UP2 hardware, meanwhile, brings a new slimmer design and fixes a key design flaw in the device.

From now on, when your Jawbone UP senses that you are asleep, your Jawbone tracker will automatically gather stats about sleep duration and sleep stages (i.e., REM, light sleep, and deep sleep). You can sync your fitness tracker to your phone to view your stats on the UP App’s main screen without having to tap your tracker to switch modes.

Also, the UP3 and UP4 now measure your passive heart rate throughout the day during periods of inactivity. Previously, the said trackers only tracked your resting heart rate in your sleep. The Jawbone UP App’s Smart Coach feature uses both your resting and passive heart rates to give you a better idea of your heart’s health.

To upgrade your Jawbone tracker’s firmware, first make sure that you are using at least version 4.7 of the Jawbone UP App for iOS or Android. To start the upgrade, just open the UP App on your phone and tap on the blue download arrow at the top-right corner. Keep on tapping that icon on each info screen until you reach the last screen and begin downloading the update file. You will see an indicator showing the progress of the update.

Jawbone has also redesigned its UP2 tracker for a narrower and thinner look, as you can see above. It now comes with two lightweight and narrow straps and a more secure clasp. If you’re experiencing problems with the clasp on your existing UP2, Jawbone will replace it with one of these redesigned models on-warranty.

The redesigned UP2 ($99 on Jawbone.com or Amazon) comes in five new colors: Black Diamond, Turquoise Circle, Orchid Circle, Oat Spectrum, and Gunmetal Hex. A sixth new color, Violet Circle, is also available, but it uses the classic old-style strap. You can buy the refashioned UP2 from Jawbone’s online store. The UP3 also has new colors: Teal Cross, Ruby Cross, Indigo Twist, and Sand Twist. Jawbone also slip-proofed the UP3’s clasp somewhat. You can get the UP3 for $179.99 on Jawbone.com or $149.99 on Amazon and the UP4 is available for $199.99 on Jawbone.com or Amazon.